The Northern Illinois Brood of cicadas have begun to emerge in the Chicagoland area and the animals at Brookfield Zoo Chicago are experiencing the insects for the first time in 17 years. The cicadas coming to the surface in the outdoor habitats may become tasty snacks for some of the animals, including African painted dogs, sloth bears, and brown bears. Animal care staff are also sharing the protein-rich and low-in-fat insects with many of the indoor animals.
At the Zoo’s Tropic World: South America habitat, the cotton-top tamarins and squirrel monkeys seemed to thoroughly enjoy the enriching treat today. Also seeming to like the nutritious arthropods were the Zoo’s roadrunner, meerkats, and mongoose.
“Many of our animals have evolved to eating insects as their primary protein source,” said Dr. Sathya Chinnadurai, senior vice president of animal health, welfare, and science at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. “Like crickets and meal worms, cicadas are a good source of digestible protein for our small mammals, some primates, and many birds and reptiles. Just like with every food item, insects should be consumed as part of a balanced and well-formulated diet. Too much of any good thing can cause an upset stomach, so for our small insectivorous animals, a set amount of insects are offered daily. For many of our larger animals, such as wolves and bears, cicadas emerging in their outdoor habitats can be consumed safely and our animal care staff monitors our animals for any signs that they may have over indulged.”
For more information, please visit www.brookfieldzoo.org